


In the Stillness of the Moment

by Paradise_of_Mary_Jane



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Gen, Pre-PoA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 22:04:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6131593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paradise_of_Mary_Jane/pseuds/Paradise_of_Mary_Jane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus finds an old photograph.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Stillness of the Moment

**Author's Note:**

> I've been listening to Frank Turner a lot recently and this is the result. It's short, relatively unedited, and to be perfectly honest I'm not too sure what it's supposed to be.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!
> 
> Title is from Frank Turner's song "Polaroid Picture"

 

Remus doesn’t know how he finds it, had forgotten it existed in the first place. September first is looming closer and closer with no word from Dumbledore ever since he turned up at his doorstep two months ago with a job offer. Remus had decided to clean out his trunk in a feeble attempt at optimism.

 

The wood of the trunk is old and its letters faded and peeling. Remus remembers it being a joke from James and Sirius, or perhaps some underhanded form of encouragement when Remus had confided that he had wanted to be a Professor. He always had trouble telling with those two.

 

The trunk is covered in litter, candy wrappers and crumpled up papers, and underneath it all, he found _it_.

 

Its corners are crinkled, colour brown and faded. Despite that, the smiles forever immortalized on the photograph are no less bright. It had been taken on a wizarding camera, Remus remembers, but developed the muggle way at Lily’s insistence. Their arms are slung around each other, postures so fluid and careless that Remus is having trouble telling where one began and the other ended. James’ head is thrown back in laughter at some joke that has long since slipped from Remus’ mind. His own face looked back at him, bright and mischevous, mouth also open in laughter (Had he really looked like that? Nowadays, Remus is having trouble imagining himself producing a laugh as loud as the one on the photograph undoubtedly is).

 

Peter is there too… and Sirius, also grinning, his handsome face a far cry from the skull-like creature that haunts the Daily Prophet these days. If he closes his eyes, Remus can almost remember the exact day his world fell apart, almost remembers how his breath had caught and his heart had stilled. It’s been twelve years and he still isn’t sure that he’s recovered from it.

 

The urge to crumple the picture and burn the last remnants of the friendship that only serves as bitter memories now comes quickly and unexpectedly. It burns itself out just as fast. For a moment, just a moment, his hands are still on the photograph and his eyes are impossibly fond. He remembers the day: it had been the last day of their seventh year. They had been lounging by the great lake, or maybe the better word was hiding; looking for an excuse to be alone and run away from the duties of adult life for one last time. It had been Lily who suggested it and the Marauders had been more than eager. They’d each gotten a copy, Remus remembers. What had happened to the others? Gone most likely. It isn’t as if people liked to keep the childhood mementos of dead men, and Sirius… Well it’s not like there’s anyone in this world who’d care enough for him to keep his belongings.

 

Remus shakes himself out of the bitter thoughts, shattering the moment. They had plagued him for years since…well since, but that had been a long time ago. You’d think he’d have moved on by now.

 

He places the photograph on the bedside table and continues cleaning out the trunk, movements mechanical. His eyes feel warm and wet but he barely notices. By now, he’s much too used to swallowing back his tears.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm at [tumblr](http://jimprongsiepotter.tumblr.com/)! Say hi!


End file.
